Our Wild World

One of the oldest conflicts is that between humans and carnivores and whether we are willing to share resources with them. As increased meat production on both public and private lands that historically provided prey in abundance for carnivores is turned to livestock ranching, we see increased conflicts and competition for the resources the land provides- for us and for wildlife. My guest today, Ron Thompson has been intimately involved with large carnivore conservation can tell you that killing all carnivores in an area simply increases livestock predation rates. Now, with Primero Conservation, Ron has turned his wildlife management skills and knowledge of carnivores to working with private landowners and ranchers in finding non-lethal methods reduce predation on domestic livestock- from reintroducing native prey to collaring and data on livestock predation- specifically for the animals being blamed for it-mountain lions and jaguars.